Everyone can make sure that tears and sweat taste salty. It is also important to understand the mechanism of their production by the body.

Types of tears and the reason for their salinity

Tears are 98% water. The remaining 2% are inorganic substances. Most of them are sodium chloride, which, in fact, is an ordinary table salt. Just the presence of sodium chloride in the composition of tears is the reason for their salty taste. Moreover, the state of the body directly affects the chemical composition of the liquid. Accordingly, the level of salinity also changes.

Why is there salt in the body?

The presence of salt is due to the fact that it helps cleanse the eyes of bacteria in a natural way. Tears are blood derivatives, respectively, have a similar composition. The body needs salt in moderation, as it supports normal metabolism. This is due to complex biological processes, in particular, blood fluid and cells. Sodium chloride is also involved in digestion and helps proteins to add water. Protein serves as the basis of the body, and a violation of its functions is fraught with negative consequences for humans.

Types of Tears and Salt

Eyes can emit tears of three kinds:

• Reflex - appear as a result of the body's reaction to external stimuli. For example, the ingress of a foreign object, tear gas, evaporation of onion juice, etc.
• Basal - are allocated constantly to avoid dryness of the cornea of ​​the eye.They also serve to protect the organs of vision from dust.
• Emotional - appear when a person experiences various emotions, both positive and negative.

Interesting fact: from happiness, people cry much less often than from grief. The fact is that for the appearance of tears of joy it is necessary to use 60 facial muscles at the same time, and 43 tears caused by sadness.

Emotional tears differ significantly in chemical composition from other species. They are characterized by a high level of protein. The appearance of tears of joy and sadness is not accidental, since both of these conditions are considered stressful for the body. When a person experiences stress, the body begins to actively release hormones, which also have a protein nature.

Thus, emotional tears are a natural reaction of the body. Their main task is to remove excess hormones as quickly as possible and return the body to a balanced state. In simpler terms, crying allows a person to quickly return to a good mood.

In addition to feelings of happiness, tears can also be caused by pity. Moreover, they are considered the most salty among the rest of the species. When this feeling occurs, the thyroid gland is activated. Then the number of signals in the cerebral cortex increases, which make the adrenal glands work harder.

Interesting fact: theater and film actors cry according to the script. No matter how realistic it may look, the chemical composition of such tears differs from the “real” ones in a lower protein content.Therefore, they are more like reflex or basal.

Sweat salinity

As with tears, sweat also has a salty aftertaste. Its main function is to cool the body. When the body overheats, perspiration begins and due to evaporation, the temperature gradually decreases to the required norm.

Sweat is approximately 0.9% sodium chloride. Most of it is water and in a minimal amount - other substances. Since salt is found in the blood, tissues and cells of the body, its presence in the composition of sweat is quite logical. In addition, it is the presence of salt that allows the body to cool more actively.

Why is sweat salty?

When a person is subjected to physical exertion, his heart rate rises. At the same time, magnesium and potassium ions appear in the sweat, which enhance the salty taste and add bitterness. Salts are released due to osmotic pressure. This is a phenomenon in the body when fluid moves from high pressure to low pressure. It contains salts that increase blood pressure in the vessels, and then promote sweating.

Tears and sweat are salty to the taste, because they are blood derivatives and contain sodium chloride in the composition - ordinary table salt. It should be in the body, as it is involved in metabolism, digestion and protein. Depending on the type of tears, they may have varying degrees of salinity. The highest salt content in tears caused by a feeling of pity, due to the active work of the thyroid gland.The salt in the sweat helps the body cool faster. Its appearance is due to the increase in heart rate and osmosis - the process of moving fluid, depending on the level of pressure.